Of the thousands of people ferried by Queenstown’s air rescue service over the years, surprisingly few leave a donation to say ‘thanks’. That’s quite concerning, says longtime Queenstown aviator Jules Tapper, who chairs the local-based Lakes District Air Rescue Trust (LDART). His trust’s expected by the government to contribute about $1.5 million a year to help an air rescue service which performs emergency missions — from here or Te Anau — often in the middle of the night, and carries about 1100 people a year. Tapper appreciates some of those rescued don’t realise the service isn’t fully funded. “I think a lot of people think it’s a bit like the ACC, that you’ve got full coverage.” He says what LDART covers is the cost of training and retraining those on the rescue chopper apart from the pilot. “If a new person comes on, they have to be trained up to the spec that is required, and the problem is that’s not covered in the funding. “And then there’s various projects you get involved with, with specific bits of equipment.” Tapper notes the region’s fortunate to have a “world-class” rescue service, while he remains passionate about his LDART role. “It’s one of those things that’s well worth doing because you see where somebody has a positive outcome. “For example, the other day when that guy fell off Mt Aspiring, that was an amazing rescue and that was done in a matter of hours.” scoop@scene.co.nz
